Laman, son of Laman, arose to the throne of the Lamanites following his father’s death and reigned during a tumultuous period marked by his hostile stance towards the Nephite colonists led by Zeniff. Laman was noted for instigating conflict with Zeniff’s people, continuing the pattern of enmity that had long existed between Nephites and Lamanites. In his efforts to overcome the Nephite settlers, Laman’s aggressive advances were met with stern resistance as the Nephites, fortified by their faith in the Lord, repelled the Lamanite onslaught and retained control of their lands (Mosiah 10:6, 10:10-20).
During Laman’s reign, his kingdom maintained a complex relationship with subjugated Nephite groups. Amulon, once a priest under the wicked King Noah and subsequently a leader among the people of Alma, became subject to King Laman. Amulon exercised authority over Alma’s followers, who were dwelling in the land of Helam, placing heavy burdens upon them (Mosiah 24:8-9). However, Laman’s rule over these groups was not to last, as Alma and his people eventually escaped his grip and joined with the main Nephite population in Zarahemla.
Apart from his martial endeavors and his rule over various people, little else is chronicled about Laman’s reign or his policies. His legacy, as with many Lamanite leaders of the era, appears interwoven with the continuous cycle of aggression and conflict with the Nephites, a theme pervasive in the historical narrative of the period. The closing of the scriptural account leaves the subsequent events of Laman’s kingship to speculation, as his story concludes with the account of Alma’s people escaping from his dominion (Mosiah 24).